Carbon Emissions, Mortality Rate and Economic Growth Nexus in Nigeria

Abstract

The paper examined the nexus existing among carbon emissions, mortality rate and economic growth in Nigeria using the annual time series data spanning from 1981 to 2019 by employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) Model application to cointegration and Error Correction Model techniques. Unit root test was conducted on all the variables of interest in the study. The study finds evidence of a long-run relationship existing among Carbon emissions, mortality rate, education expenditures and economic growth in Nigeria. The findings of this study has implications for energy policy as policy makers and economic planners need to formulate and implement policies aimed at conserving energy use, improving energy efficiency and designing energy demand management in such a way that the Nigerian government should embark on the alternative use of energy that generates less emission of carbon dioxide as this will unequivocally help Nigeria  to achieve the sustainable development goals of good health and well-being alongside with affordable, reliable and sustainable use of energy for all. In addition, there is the pressing need for the government and other relevant stakeholders to formulate and enforce policies aimed at curbing the emission of carbon into the environment, given its hazardous, debilitating and deleterious consequences on human health status and the environment as this is believed to go a long way in reducing mortality rate that might be associated with depletion in ozone layer causing exposure to high heat stress, ultraviolet radiation and air pollution in Nigeria.